Recovery Time After Rhinoplasty w/ Rib Cartilage Graft?

I had rhinoplasty 6 days ago with rib cartilage graft involved. In the middle of my stomach pretty large area is pink and numb (size of my palm). It is not around the scar,it's close to the middle of my stomach.I'm guessing it's above th area where cartilage been removed.I do have numbness around the scar area too,but not as much.I'm wondering if it's normal recovery process, or not. How long is recovery time after rib cartilage graft rhinoplasty?I mean when I'll be able to work out normally?

Recovery after rhinoplasty with a rib graft

April 4th, 2011

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Recovery from rhinoplasty is typically about a week, though the rib graft will change things quite a bit. The ribs have multiple muscular attachments and the soreness may linger for many weeks. Full exercise may be delayed for four to six weeks without tremendous resolve. The pinkness surrounding the graft site deserves your doctor's attention.

Recovery After Rib Graft Rhinoplasty Will Be About 6 Weeks

April 3rd, 2011

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It sounds like the observations you are seeing on your stomach are normal, numbness and some bruising. Keep an eye on the pink area to make sure it does not get bigger and more red, signs that it could be an infection. Otherwise, I doubt if you will feel very confortable working out for at least a month and perhaps as long as 6 weeks after your rib graft rhinoplasty. The rib graft donor site may feel fine earlier than that by it may be a different story when you start twisting your torso and moving your arms in more active exercises.

Rhinoplasty Pictures

Recovery after rhinoplasty with rib graft.

April 3rd, 2011

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At 6 days post-op, the things you describe sound normal. You should be seeing your surgeon in a day or two; if not, keep an eye on the area of pinkness near your rib graft donor site. This sounds like normal bruising, but if it enlarges, becomes tender or warm to touch. or you develop fever or chills, it might signify infection. I assume you are on antibiotics, but this does not guarantee "no infection," it just diminishes the risk of this. If you are concerned, see your surgeon before your scheduled recheck!

Numbness after surgery

April 3rd, 2011

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Only six days after surgery, you should expect temporary chances such as numbness, tingling, ext. If you have any specific concerns, you should address these with your surgeon. I would assume that you have a post op visit scheduled soon as you are only six days after surgery. As long as you do not have fever, trouble breathing or pain out of proportion to the surgery that you had, you likely do not have any immediate need for concern.

Numbness and swelling after rhinoplasty

August 3rd, 2014

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In general, almost all noses are numb right after a rhinoplasty. In most cases its the tip that is numb, but this numbness can extend down to the upper lip, and in rare cases some of the teeth. There are nerves that are cut and stretched during a rhinoplasty, and it takes a long time for those nerves to start working again. This is true of an open as well as closed rhinoplasty, although it tends to be more extensive in open rhinoplasty. This could also be more extensive if a septoplasty is performed at the same time. A revision rhinoplasty is a much harder surgery with a lot of internal scarring to cut through. This can also be a reason for prolonged numbness. This, along with the swelling, gives you a stiff, plastic type feel, and can give you an odd smile. However, the nerves will start working and again, and your nose stiffness will go away with time. As the nerves grow back, you may feel some tingling, itchiness and on occasion pain. This takes in most cases months, but can take years in rare cases. Extremely rarely, the numbness is permanent, although I have never seen such as case.Best Wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

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